The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Digest March 21-27, 2016


PHOTO

By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor and Bureau Chief
Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel

AUTO CENTRAL Chicago, March 27, 2016; Every Sunday Larry Nutson, Senior Editor and Chicago Car Guy along with fellow senior editors Steve Purdy and Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, give you TACH's "take" on this past week's automotive news in easy to digest mega-tweet sized nuggets. If you wish to know more just click on the link that will take you to the full story as published here on The Auto Channel.

If you are a car and driving fan like we all are here at The Auto Channel, you can easily wish to "catch up" on these stories as well put them in context with the past 20 year's 1,975,112 automotive news, automotive stories, articles, reviews, archived news, video, audio, rants and raves. Just search The Auto Channel's Automotive News Archive.

Hey Boston TV viewers, you can now enjoy The Auto Channel TV Network "Free and Clear" on WHDT Channel 3 in Boston and on your local cable systems. Just added Naples Florida, along with all South Florida auto fans who can continue to watch The Auto Channel TV Network on WHDT-TV Channel 9 in West Palm Beach as well as cable channel's 17 and 438, channel 9 Miami. WHDN launched its full schedule (including The Auto Channel)of broadcasting in the Naples-Fort Myers market on digital PSIP channel 9.1 channel. Enjoy and thanks for the positive feedback and ratings. See You Next Week, LN.

The Past Week's Automotive News Highlights In Easy To Digest Chunks
March 21-27,2016


PHOTO

* Everyone wants to attention and the trend in auto show media previews is to make announcements a day or two in advance. First in New York, two days ahead of media previews, was Ford Motor Company, Shelby American and Hertz unveiling a special run of performance-modified 2016 Ford Mustang GTs named the Shelby GT-H that will be available for rent beginning Memorial Day weekend. As a throwback to the famed Shelby GT350-H “Rent-A-Racer” program of the 1960s, a total of 140 2016 Ford Shelby GT-H’s will be available exclusively through the Hertz Adrenaline Collection at select airport locations in the continental United States.MORE


PHOTO

* The New York International Auto Show opened to the public this weekend with media getting the traditional preview this past week. Opening the show is the World Car of the Year award, this year going to the new Mazda MX-5 Miata beating out the other finalists, Audi A4 and Mercedes GLC-Class. Miata also took the World Car Design of the Year award. This awards program includes cars available around the world and not necessarily in the U.S. The World Green car of the Year was earned by the new Toyota Mirai fuel-cell car. The BMW 7 Series garnered World Luxury Car of the Year beating out Audi Q7 and the much honoured Volvo SC90. - MORE


PHOTO

* One standout at the New York International Auto Show this week is Lincoln Navigator Concept. The company insists it gives some major clues as to what the new Navigator, due for introduction late next year, will look like. We’re not likely to see the gull-wing doors or some of the other far-out design details. Navigator is long overdue for a redesign as it has been its boxy self for many years while GM continued to update its big crossovers and SUVs. MORE

* Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn told a NY International Auto Show audience that his companies will be selling 10 vehicles "with significant autonomous drive functionality by 2020.” Leading up to that capability will be lane-keeping functions. Ghosn warned about the speed at which these technologies are advancing and acknowledged the increasing role of tech companies like Apple and Google in leading these advances. He also reiterated his long-held belief in the importance of of electrification of future automobiles. MORE


PHOTO

* We knew we were getting the long-awaited new NSX super sports car this year but we learned at the NYIAS that Acura will go racing with a NSX GT3 race car in 2017. The racing version of the NSX will have a 3.5-liter, twin turbo, V-6. The homologation cars will be produced in the fall at the Marysville, Ohio NSX plant. The car will get lots of aerodynamic upgrades with its custom bodywork and the engine is mostly the same as the production car without the hybrid components. MORE


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

* Jaguar Classic announced this week at NYIAS a commitment to build nine new XKSS sports cars to exactly replicate the 1957 cars that they are calling the worlds first super car. Being a “continuation model” means the car is as close to the original in every way as possible. The XJSS won Le Mans in 1955, 1956 and 1957. Only 16 road cars were made originally for 1957 being converted from D-Type race cars. These cars replace ones lost in an historic fire at the factory. They will each cost 1 million pounds. MORE

* The all-electric Renault Twizy 40 is being certified by Transport Canada. Provincial authorization processes are underway and the first Twizy should be able to circulate on Canadian streets in the coming months. The Canadian Renault Twizy (Twizy 40) is fitted with a type-1 charging cable and side reflectors. With speed capped at 40 km/h (25mph), it comes under the Canadian category of low-speed vehicles (four-wheel electric vehicles with top speed from 32 to 40 km/h). The Twizy is available for short-term rental in San Francisco from Scoot. Might we see them in more U.S. cities soon. We'll see! MORE


PHOTO

* Just a week after the NHTSA announcement, Toyota and Lexus are the first to make the next move. They said, advanced automatic safety technology that was once available on only the most expensive new vehicles is about to be included as standard equipment on almost every Lexus and Toyota model and trim level in the United States. Announced today at the New York Auto Show, Toyota will begin to include the Lexus Safety System+and Toyota Safety Sense packages, anchored by automatic emergency braking (AEB), on almost every new vehicle by the end of 2017. That means 2018 models. MORE

* AUTOMOBILE has chosen its 2016 All-Stars. Only seven cars were honored this year from a pool of all-new, heavily revised, or significant new variants available in the U.S. They are: Mazda MX-5 Miata, Ferrari 488 GTB, Volvo XC90, Ford Shelby GT350/GT350R Mustang, Volkswagen Golf R, McLaren 570S and Porsche Cayman GT4.

* The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata was recently named the winner two 2016 Autobytel Car and Truck Awards. Mazda's lightweight roadster took home top honors as Autobytel Convertible of the Year and Autobytel Sports Car of the Year.

* VW still doesn't have a fix for its 600,000 diesel cars in the U.S. It missed a court-ordered March 24 deadline. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco, said at a hearing that “substantial progress” has been made to have a fix. He set an April 21 deadline for the carmaker to come up with a concrete and detailed proposal. Former FBI director Robert Mueller is supervising the settlement and told the court that VW is making substantial progress in getting the offending cars off the road. Breyer also remarked that the company faces engineering difficulties in finding a solution. Some in-the-know folks are speculating that it may not be possible to fix some of the diesels. If the company were to buy back all these cars it could cost well over $7 billion.

* The average price of gasoline has jumped 17 cents a gallon in the last two weeks to an average of $2.02. The high ranges from $2.72 in LA to $1.66 in Newark, NJ. Higher oil prices and more demand is causing the increase. Diesel fuel is averaging $2.15.


PHOTO

* The 2016 Australian Grand Prix, the first race of the 2016 season, saw newcomer Haas F1 as the first American Formula One team since the ill starred USF1 folded its tent before the season even started back in 2010. Team owner Gene Haas is co-owner of the Stewart Haas NASCAR team. He has been planning to try his hand in Formula One for the past 6 years. The Haas car of Romain Grosjean finished sixth. MORE